Slide fastener



Unitfid tates Patent SLIDE FASTENER Ralph E. Jones, San Diego, Calif.Application May 19, 1958, Serial No. 73 ,094

1 Claim. (Cl. 24-20515) The present invention relates in general toslide fasteners and, more particularly, to a device for preventingjamming of such a fastener due to entanglement of fabric with thefastening elements thereof, or between the fastening elements and theslider thereof, the present invention being an improvement on that of mycopending patent application Serial No. 548,930, filed November 25,1955, now Patent No. 2,855,652, issued October 14, 1958.

Before proceeding to a consideration of the present invention, aconventional slide fastener with which the invention is utilized will bedescribed briefly, primarily for the purpose of establishing basicterminology to be utilized throughout the present application. The slidefastener with which the invention is associated has interior andexterior, sides which, in the case of a slide fastener mounted on agarment, respectively face toward and away from the body of the wearerof the garment. Occasionally, the interior side of the slide fastenerwill be referred to herein as the undergarment side thereof. The slidefastener includes two tapes respectively carrying two interengageablerows of fastening elements, each of these rows defining interior andexterior surfaces spaced from and paralleling the corresponding tape andrespectively located on the interior and exterior sides of the slidefastener. Finally, the slide fastener includes a slider or slider meansmovable along and engageable with the rows of fastening elements forinterengaging and disengaging same to close and open the slide fastener,depending on whether the slider is moved in a slidefastener closingdirection, or a slide-fastener opening direction. The direction ofslide-fastener closing move ment of the slider will be regarded hereinas the forward direction, and the direction of slide-fastener openingmovement of the slider will be regarded as the rearward direction. t

A primary object of the invention is to take advantage of the fact thatthe aforementioned interior and exterior surfaces of the rows offastening elements act as interior and exterior platforms which holdextraneous fabric away from the interior and exterior sides,respectively, of the tapes.

More particularly, the primary object of the invention is to provide ajam preventing device which includes prongs having ends disposedlaterally outwardly of, but in close proximity to, the rows of fasteningelements and disposed between the interior and. exterior surfaces. ofthe rows of fastening elements.

With the foregoing construction, the prong ends ride on the tapes andare inserted between the tapes and any extraneous fabric which must bedisplaced out of the path of the slider, there being no possibility withthis construction of entangling such extraneous fabric between thefastening elements and the slider, or between the fastening elements andthe prongs themselves.

An important object of the invention is to provide a jam preventingdevice which includes a team of three interior closing prongs carried bythe slider on the interior side of .the slide fastener and extendingforwardly from the slider in the direction of slide-fastener closingmovement of the slider, as disclosed in my aforementioned \copendingapplication. This team of interior closing prongs includes two outerinterior closing prongs having forward ends respectively disposedlaterally outwardly of the rows of fastening elements and respectivelydisposed between the interior and exterior surfaces 'of the rows offastening elements, and includes an intermediate interior closing prongdisposed between the rows of fastening elements and spaced from theouter interior closing prongs distances greater than the widths of therows of fastening elements and having a forward end disposed between theinterior and exterior surfaces of the rows of fastening elements. Withthis construction, the outer interior .closing prongs serve to move anyextraneous fabric away from the interior surfaces of the rows of fastening elements during slide-fastener closing movement of the slider,and the intermediate interior closing prong displaces any extraneousfabric which may be between the two rows of fastening elements duringslide-fastener closing movement of the slider. This teamwork between thethree interior closing prongs insures against jamming on the interior orundergarment side of the slide fastener during closing movement of theslider.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a jam preventingdevice which includes two exterior closing prongs carried by the slideron the exterior side of the slide fastener and extending forwardly fromthe slider in the direction of slide-fastener closing movement of theslider, such exterior closing prongs having forward ends respectivelydisposed laterally outwardly of the rows of fastening elements andrespectively disposed between the interior and exterior surfaces of therows of fastening elements. These exterior closing prongs serve to moveout of the Way any extraneous fabric on the exterior side of the slidefastener during closing move! ment of the slider. In this case, nointermediate prong is necessary since any extraneous fabric which is notdisplaced during closing movement by the intermediate interior closingprong is displaced by the usual operating tab attached to the slider,which tab extends forwardly in the direction of closing movement duringsuch movement of the slider.

An important object of the invention is to stagger the forward ends ofthe outer interior closing prongs relative to the forward ends of theexterior closing prongs in the direction of movement of the slider sothat the forward ends of these prongs do not pinch the tapestherebetween. A related object is to locate the forward ends of theexterior closing prongs closer to the slider than the forward ends ofthe outer interior closing prongs.

Another object is to provide a jam preventing device which includes, inconjunction with the three interior closing prongs and the two exteriorclosing prongs here inbefore discussed, two interior and two exterioropening prongs each having a rearward end disposed laterally outwardlyof the corresponding row of fastening elements and disposed between theinterior and exterior surfaces of such row of fastening elements.Another object is to stagger the rearward ends of the exterior openingprongs relative to the rearward ends of the interior open ing prongs,the rearward ends of the exterior opening prongs preferably being closerto the slider than the rear ward ends of the interior opening prongs.

The rearward ends of the interior and exterior opening prongs cooperatewith the interior and exterior surfaces of the tapes and the interiorand exterior sufaces of the rows of fastening elements to move out ofthe way any extraneous fabric which may tend to jam between the sliderand the rows of fastening elements during slidefastener opening movementof the slider, in much the same way that the forward ends of the outerinterior closing prongs and the exterior closing prongs preventelucrlimmg during slide-fastener closing movement of the s 1 er.

Another object is to provide a jam preventing device wherein theintermediate and outer interior closing prongs are arcuate and curvetoward positions between the in terior and exterior surfaces of the rowsof fastening elements at the forward ends thereof so as to lift anyextraneous fabric on the undergarment side of the slide fastener wellaway from the slider to insure jam prevention during closing movement ofthe slider.

The foregoing objects, advantages, features and results of the presentinvention, together with various other objects, advantages, features andresults thereof which will be evident to those skilled in the slidefastener art in the light of this disclosure, may be attained with theexemplary embodiment of the invention described in detail hereinafterand illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a view partially in section and partially in elevation of aslide fastener which embodies the jam preventing device of the presentinvention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the exterior side of the slide fastener and jampreventing device; and

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the interior side of the slide fastener and jampreventing device.

In the drawing, the number designates generally a slide fastener havingan interior or nndergarment side 12 and an exterior side 14. The slidefastener 10 includes two tapes 16 respectively carrying twointerengageable rows 18 of fastening elements 20, the rows 18 havinginterior and exterior surfaces 22 and 24 respectively disposed on theinterior and exterior sides 12 and 14 of the slide fastener andrespectively spaced from and paralleling the tapes 16. The slidefastener 10 also includes a slider or slider means 26 movable along andengageable with the rows 18 of fastening elements for interengaging anddisengaging same to close and open the slide fastener in response toslide-fastener closing and opening movements, respectively, of theslider 26, as is well known in the art, the direction of slide-fastenerclosing movement being toward the right, as viewed in the drawing, andthe direction of slide-fastener opening movement being toward the left,as viewed therein. A manually graspable tab 28 is pivotally connected tothe slide 26 on the exterior side 14 thereof in the usual manner.

The jam preventing device of the invention includes two outer interiorclosing prongs 3t and one intermediate interior closing prong 32 carriedby the slider 26 on the interior side 12 of the slide fastener 10 andextending forwardly from the slider in the direction of slide-fastenerclosing movement of the slider. The outer interior closing prongs 3%curve forwardly to forward ends 34 respectively disposed laterallyoutwardly of, but in close proximity to, the rows 18 of fasteningelements 20 and respectively disposed between the interior and exteriorsurfaces 22 and 24 of the rows 18 in engagement with the tapes 16, asbest shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing. The intermediate interior closingprong 32 (also) curves toward a forward end 36 which is disposed betweenthe interior and exterior surfaces 22 and 24 of the rows 18, and whichis disposed between the rows, the intermediate interior closing prong 32being spaced laterally from the outer interior closing prongs distancesgreater than the widths of the rows 18 of fastening elements 20 so thatextraneous fabric cannot become caught between such prongs and thefastening elements.

It is thought that the operation of the interior closing prongs 30 and32 will be clear from Fig. 1 of the drawing, which shows fabric 38 incontact with the slide fastener 10 on the interior or undergarment side12 thereof, and fabric 38 being shown as having a fold 40 which projectsoutwardly between the disengaged portions of the rows 18 to the exteriorside 14 of the slide fastener. Note that the fabric 38 is held away fromthe tapes 16 by the interior surfaces 22 of the rows 18 so that theforward ends 34 of the outer interior closing prongs 30, being inengagement with the interior sides of the tapes 16, are inserted betweenthe tapes and the fabric to displace the fabric out of engagement withthe fastening elements during slide-fastener closing movement of theslider 26, thereby eliminating any possibility of jamming of the fabric58 between the outer interior closing prongs 30 and the rows 18 offastening elements 20, or jamming of the fabric between the rows offastening elements and the slider. Note also that the intermediateinterior closing prong 32 disposed between the disengaged portions ofthe rows of fastening elements 20 effectively displaces the fold 4%) outfrom between the disengaged portions of the rows 18 to the interior side'12 of the slide fastener 10 during slide-fastener closing movement ofthe slider 26. Thus, the three interior closing prongs 30 and 32 work asa team to prevent jamming of the fabric 38 with respect to all parts ofthe device.

The jam preventing device of the invention also includes two exteriorclosing prongs 42 carried by the slider 26 on the exterior side 14 ofthe slide fastener 10 and extending forwardly from the slider in thedirection of slide-fastener closing movement thereof, the exteriorclosing prongs 42 curving toward forward ends 44 thereof respectivelydisposed laterally outwardly of the rows 18 of fastening elements 20 andrespectively disposed between the iaterior and exterior surfaces 22 and24 of such rows. The forward ends 44 of the exterior closing prongs 42are in engagement with the tapes 16, respectively, and are staggered inthe direction of slider movement relative to the forward ends 34 of theouter interior closing prongs 30 so as to avoid pinching the tapes 16between the forward ends 34 and the forward ends 44, the forward ends 44preferably being located closer to the slider 26 than the forward ends34.

The exterior closing prongs 42 operate with respect to extraneous fabricin substantially the same way as the outer interior closing prongs 30operate with respect thereto during slide-fastener closing movement ofthe slider 26, In this case, the extraneous fabric may comprise theedges of a garment which overlie the rows 18 of fastening elements 20 toconceal the fastener 10 when it is closed.

The jam preventing device of the invention also provides two interioropening prongs 46 and two exterior opening prongs 48 respectivelycarried by the slider 26 on the interior and exterior sides 12 and 14 ofthe slide fastener 10 and extending rearwardly from the slider 26 in thedirection of slide-fastener opening movement of the slider. The interioropening prongs 46 curve rearwardly to rearward ends 50 respectivelydisposed laterally outwardly of the rows 18 of fastening elements 20 andrespectively disposed between the interior and exterior surfaces 22 and24 thereof. Similarly, the exterior opening prongs 48 curve rearwardlyto rearward ends 52 respectively disposed laterally outwardly of therows 18 of fastening elements 20 and respectively disposed between theinterior and exterior surfaces 22 and 24 of the rows. The rearward ends50 and 52 respectively engage the interior and exterior surfaces of thetapes 16 and, in order to avoid pinching of the tapes, the rearward ends50 are staggered relative to the rearward ends 52 in the direction ofslider movement, the rearward ends 52 of the exterior opening prongs 48preferably being closer to the slider.

During slide-fastener opening movement of the slider 26, the interioropening prongs 46 operate with respect to extraneous fabric, such as thefabric 38, in much the same manner as the outer interior closing prongs30 do during closing movement. Similarly, the exterior opening prongs 48operate with respect to extraneous fabric during open- S ing movement inmuch the same manner as the exterior closing prongs 42 do during closingmovement.

The net result of providing a jam preventing device having five prongsoperative during closing movement and four prongs operative duringopening movement is to completely insure against jamming under allconditions of operation, which is an important feature.

Although an exemplary embodiment of the invention has been disclosedherein for purposes of illustration, it will be understood that variousminor changes, modifications and substitutions may be incorporated insuch embodiment without departing from the spirit of the invention asdefined by the claim which follows:

I claim:

A jam preventing device for a slide fastener which has interior andexterior sides and which includes two tapes, two interengageable rows offastening elements respectively carried by the tapes and respectivelydefining interior and exterior surfaces spaced from and paralleling thetapes, and slider means movable along and engageable with the rows offastening elements for interengaging same to close the slide fastener,said device including: two outer interior closing prongs carried by theslider means on the interior side of the slide fastener and extendingforwardly from the slider means in the direction of slide-fastenerclosing movement of the slider means, said outer interior closing prongshaving forward ends respectively disposed laterally outwardly of therows of fastening elements and respectively disposed between theinterior and exterior surfaces of the rows of fastening elements; anintermediate interior closing prong carried by the slider means on theinterior side of the slide fastener and extending forwardly from theslider means in the direction of slide-fastener closing movement of theslider means, said intermediate interior closing prong being disposedbetween the rows of fastening elements and being spaced from said outerinterior closing prongs distances greater than the widths of the rows of6 fastening elements and having a forward end disposed between theinterior and exterior surfaces of the rows of fastening elements; twoexterior closing prongs carried by the slider means on the exterior sideof the slide fastener and extending forwardly from the slider means inthe direction of slide-fastener closing movement of the slider means,said exterior closing prongs having forward ends respectively disposedlaterally outwardly of the rows of fastening elements and respectivelydisposed between the interior and exterior surfaces of the rows offastening elements; two interior opening prongs carried by the slidermeans on the interior side of the slide fastener and extendingrearwardly from the slider means in the direction of slide-fasteneropening movement of the slider means, said interior opening prongshaving rearward ends respectively disposed laterally outwardly of therows of fastening elements and respectively disposed between theinterior and exterior surfaces of the rows of fastening elements; andtwo exterior opening prongs carried by the slider means on the exteriorside of the slide fastener and extending rearwardly from the slidermeans in the direction of slide-fastener opening movement of the slidermeans, said exterior opening prongs having rearward ends respectivelydisposed laterally outwardly of the rows of fastening elements andrespectively disposed between the interior and exterior surfaces of therows of fastening elements; said forward ends of said exterior closingprongs being located closer to the slider means than said forward endsof said outer interior closing prongs, and said rearward ends of saidexterior opening prongs being located closer to the slider means thansaid rearward ends of said interior opening prongs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,966,255 Marinsky July 10, 1934 2,176,445 LAmie Oct. 17, 1939 2,325,709Sams-tegman Aug. 3, 1943

